Equipment for manufacturing corded garment waistbands



p 1964 w. K. WARNOCK 3,150,621

EQUIPMENT FOR MANUFACTURING CORDED GARMENT WAISTBANDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed April 29, 1963 \/W/L/AM K. WARNOGK BY 33 53 ATTORNEY W. K. WARNOCKSept. 29, 1964 EQUIPMENT FOR MANUFACTURING CORDED GARMENT WAISTBANDSFiled April 29, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /V//V//V/ INVENTOR. W/L LIAM K.WAR/VOOK ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,150,621 EQUIPMENT F011MANUFACTURENG CORDED GARMENT WAHSTBANDS William K. Warnoclr, Kenttieid,Calif, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Korati-on Company, Inc, acorporation of California Filed Apr. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 276,587 3Claims. (Cl. 1122) The invention, in general, relates to outerwear, andmore particularly relates to methods and apparatus for producinggarments which are form fitting and neat appearing about the hips of awearer as well as having enhanced attractiveness, and which are providedwith expandable and contractible components at the waistline thereof toafford self adjustment in all wearer sizes including slightly under-sizeand slightly over-size wearers.

The present improvements are directed to and have as a primary objectthe provision of garments in which either individual elastic cords areincorporated and confined wi-thin the garment fabric at the waistline ora yieldable component is incorporated in the garment fabric at thewaistline in a manner to simulate individual cords thereby affording ayielding waistline for all sizes of garments which will accommodatein-between sizes Within normal requirements of off-size wearers.

Another important object of my invention is to provide corded andsimulated corded waistbands for removable attachment to a garmentwhereby not only is there afforded a self-adjusting waistline for awearer thereof but also there is afforded a neat and attractive garmentwhich can readily be altered by replacing a plain tightfitting waistbandfor the corded and simulated corded band, and vice versa, at will.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide improvedequipment for facile and rapid manufacture of my improved corded andsimulated corded garment waistlines, as well as removably attachedwaistbands, at minimum expense.

Other objects of the invention, together with some of the advantageousfeatures thereof, will appear from the following description of apreferred embodiment and certain modified embodiments of my invention.It is to be understood, however, that I am not to be limited to theprecise embodiments shown nor to the precise arrangement of the variouscomponents thereof or to the precise order of steps set forth, as myinvention, as defined in the appended claims, can be embodied in aplurality and variety of forms and can be carried out in a plurality andvariety of ways.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention as exemplified in equipment for manufacturinggarments with waistlines having individual elastic cords confined in thegarment fabric at the waistline.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary detail showing a portion of the equipment ofFIG. 1 as well as showing the movement of garment fabric, lining andelastic cords at one stage of the method of manufacturing the garmentswith corded waistlines.

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of one of the elements of myimproved equipment for manufacturing garments with corded waistlines.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view of a garment waistlineincorporating individual elastic cords within a porous fabric of whichthe garment is made as well as a lining and a color-stop strip toprevent the color of the elastic cords being seen through the fabric.

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of a so-called high rise garmentand illustrating an exemplification of a preferred embodiment of theinvention wherein the waistline of the garment confines individualelastic cords within a fold of the garment fabric at the waistlinethereof.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified embodiment of theinvention as exemplified in a method of and equipment for manufacturinggarments as well as adjusting waist bands embodying simulated cordedfinish at the waistline.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary front elevational view of one component of themodified embodiment of equipment for making the modified embodiment ofthe invention, this view illustrating the materials at one stage of theprocess.

FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional elevation of a waistline constructionfor a garment made of porous fabric and with the equipment of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is another schematic sectional elevational view of a garmentwaistband made in accordance with my modified mode of productionutilizing the modified embodiment of equipment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of a preferred embodiment ofthe invention, as exemplified in a skirt with full corded waistline.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of an exemplifioation of themodified embodiment of my invention with a skirt waistline of simulatedcord finish.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of a preferred embodiment ofthe invention, as exemplified in a skirt with partial corded orsimulated corded finish and partly plain garment material.

In its preferred mode, the method of my present invention for producinggarments with corded finish at the waistlines thereof preferablycomprises the steps of enclosing a plurality of individual elastic cordseach maintained under slight tension and in spaced relation to oneanother within a garment waistline hem and a continuous strip of foldedlining and simultaneously feeding the garment hem and folded lining withconfined spaced apart elastic cords to a multi-needle sewing machineunder a presser foot having a series of grooves therein for passing saidelastic cords and for holding the same 'in spaced relationship andenclosed within said garment hem and said lining while effecting thestitching of the said garment hem and said lining together on oppositesides of said elastic cords by said multi-needle sewing machines.

The preferred mode of producing the modified embodiment of my presentinvention in a simulated cord waistline on garments preferably comprisesthe steps of -Wlt'lli1'1 the grooves of said presser foot.

A preferred embodiment of the invention in my im proved equipment formanufacturing garments with elastic cord finish at the waistlinesthereof preferably comprises, in combination with a multi-needle sewingmachine, a presser foot adjustably mounted on said sewing machine; saidpresser foot having a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves inits bottom surface arranged in spaced relationship and also having aplurality of needle passages extending from the top through the bottomthereof between said grooves, means for continuously feeding a pluralityof individual elastic cords to said multi-needle sewing machine, meansfor maintaining said cords under tension during the feeding of saidcords to said sewing machine, together with a guide through which saidcords are passed, means in said guide for maintaining said tensionedcords in spaced parallel relation to one another in alignment with saidgrooves of said presser foot; said guide having a fiat upper surfaceover which a waistline portion of a garment fabric may be passed with afold of said portion underlying the guide, means for feeding a length oflining to said sewing machine along with the passing of said garmentfabric and said cords, a folder for passing and folding said liningadjacent to said presser foot and to present the same in underlyingrelation to said cords and to said garment fabric to enclose said cordsbetween said lining and said garment fabric during the operation of saidsewing machine and the continuous feeding of said garment fabric andsaid elastic cords and said lining whereby said garment fabric and saidlining are stitched together with rows of stitching on opposite sides ofsaid elastic cords to present an elastic cord finish about a garmentwaistline with the cords arranged in substantially parallel spacedrelationship.

A modified embodiment of my invention as exemplified in equipment formanufacturing garments having simu lated cord waistlines preferablycomprises, in combination with a multi-needle sewing machine, a presserfoot adjustably mounted on said sewing machine; said presser foot havinga plurality of longitudinally extending grooves in its bottom surfacearranged in spaced relation to one another and having needle passagestherethrough between said grooves, means for feeding a folded length ofbias cut fabric to said sewing machine, a guide supported adjacent tosaid presser foot and upon which a portion of said folded bias-cutfabric is disposed during the feeding thereof to said sewing machinewith a portion of said folded bias-cut fabric underlying said guide,together with means for feeding a continuous strip of elastic materialthrough said guide to said sewing machine simultaneously with thefeeding of said bias-cut fabric with the strip of elastic materialconfined between said portions of folded bias-cut fabric as it passesunder said presser foot whereby the fabric and strip of elastic arestitched together with spaced rows of stitching during operation of saidsewing machine and the elastic strip and fabric fills the grooves ofsaid presser foot between each row of stitching.

As illustrated particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the annexed drawings, myimproved method is preferably carried out with a conventionalmulti-needle sewing machine, which is designated generally by thereference numeral 11 and which presents a working surface 12 at aconvenient level for an operator. The number of needles 13 carried inthe head 14 of the sewing machine can vary and is dependent upon thedesired width of the waistline or waistband of the particular garmentwherein my improved expansible and contractible waistline constructionis incorporated. The sewing machine 11 includes all of the standardcomponents for continuously feeding thread, not shown, to each of theneedles 13 as well as mechanism, also not shown, for feeding materialsbeyond the needles after being stitched. A pair of conventionalmaterial-pulling rollers 16 and 17 are provided in overlying andunderlying relation, respectively, to the working surface 12 of themachine, to draw the material taut while being sewn and for assisting inmoving the material through the machine; the upper roller 16 being anidler roller and being rotatably mounted in a yoke 18 by means of a pin19, while the lower roller 17 is driven from the power means, not shown,for operating the sewing machine 11. A suitable hand-operable lever 21engageable upon any selected one of a plurality of jacking pins 22 isprovided for adjusting the idler roller 16 in relation to the workingsurface 12 of the machine.

In accordance with the present invention, a specially constructedpresser foot, generally designated by the reference numeral 23, isadjustably mounted by means of an apertured integral boss 24 and aset-screw 26 on a vertically disposed post 27 depending from the frame28 of the sewing machine 11 so as to present the forward end of thepresser foot in underlying relation to the row of needles 13 dependingfrom the head 14. As shown particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3, the presserfoot 23 is fashioned with a plurality of longitudinally extendinggrooves 29 arranged in parallel spaced relationship to one another onits bottom surface to define a plurality of toes 31 on the bottomthereof intermediate the grooves 29 and at opposite sides of the bottomof the presser foot. Moreover, the presser foot 23 is so formed as toprovide a row of passages, not shown, opening through the top surface ofthe presser foot, as at 32, as well as opening through the bottomsurface of the presser foot, as at 33, for the passage of the needles13; it being especially noted that such passages extend through thoseportions of the presser foot as to open at the bottom surface throughthe toes 31 thereof. Thus, all stitching performed by the needles 13 ison opposite sides of each of the grooves 29 in the bottom surface of thepresser foot 23, such lines of stitching being indicated by the dottedline showings of FIG. 2 and indicating spaced apart parallel extendinglines of stitching designated by the reference numeral 34. In stitchingoperations, the presser foot 23 is so vertically adjusted that the toes31 of the foot bear upon the work being stitched.

In addition to the unique presser foot 23 I also provide a speciallyconstructed guide which is designated genererally by the referencenumeral 36 and which is adjustably supported by means of a pin and slotadjustment to a flat strip 37 secured to the top 38 of a table 39disposed in close proximity to the sewing machine with its top surface33 at the same level as the working surface 12 of the sewing machine. Tothis end, the guide 36 is formed with an integral laterally extendingarm 41 fashioned with an elongated slot 42 therein for passing a pair ofthreaded pins 43 which extend into the underlying strip 37, and Iprovide wing-nuts 44 for turning down upon pins 43 to engage the arm 41of the guide 36 and secure the same in proper aligned position inrelation to the presser foot 23. T o adjust the guide, it is onlynecessary to losen the wing-nuts 44 and move the arm 41 as well as itsslot 42 in relation to the pins 43 to the desired extent and thenre-tighten the wing-nuts 44. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the guide 36supports in rearwardly extended relation a plurality of tubes 46 whichare rigidly held in parallel spaced relation to one another by a strap47, such tubes being bent downwardly at their outer ends, as at 48, forreceiving a plurality of individual elastic cords 49. In accordance withmy present invention, individual spools of elastic cord, not shown, aresupported adjacent the table 39 and each individual cord 49 is unwoundfrom its corresponding spool during the operation of the sewing machineto pass through a conventional tensioning device 51. As shown, a row oftensioners 51, one for each elastic cord 49, is mounted on a suitablesupporting bar 52, and the individual cords, thus tensioned, aredelivered individually to the series of parallel tubes 46 at theirdownwardly bent outer ends to be passed therethrough to the grooves 29of the presser foot 23 which are aligned with the tubes 46 and whichmaintain the individual cords 49 in parallel spaced relation to oneanother during the stitching operations.

The improved equipment of my present invention to manufacture garmentwaistlines containing rows of individual elastic cords also includes afolder 53 which is supported at an incline below the guide 36 and whichhas its inner end supported in close proximity to the presser foot 23;such folder 53 serving to pass and to fold over the lateral extremitiesS6 and 57 of a strip 53 of lining as indicated in FIG. 2 of thedrawings, as well as to deliver the strip of lining 58 to a point 59,see FIG. 1, between the inner end of the guide 36 and the presser foot23 in underlying relation to the row of elastic cords 49 which, in turn,are delivered to the presser foot 23 in underlying relation to a lengthof garment fabric 61. The fabric 61 is manually positioned by anoperator by tucking an edge thereof under the guide 36 to provide aninturned deep hem 62 thereon, and the operator, holding the same in linewith the guide, feeds the sewing machine with the three components;namely, the garment fabric 61 on top with its underlying deep hem 62,the folded lining 58 on the bottom and the plurality of slightlytensioned individual cords 49 enclosed therebetween all directed to thepresser foot with the cords 49 entering the grooves 29 of the foot. Theoperator starts the sewing machine to produce the series of lines ofstitching 34 with the individual elastic cords 49 confined in pocketsbounded on the upper or outer side of the garment by the garment fabric61 and on the lower or inside of the garment by the lining 58. If thegarment fabric 61 is porous, the waistline construction of my presentinvention can include a strip 63 of opaque material intermediate thefabric 61 and the cords 49 as a color stop, inasmuch as the individualcords 49 are usually fabricated of either black or white elastic; suchcolor stop strip 63 conveniently being unwound from a roll, not shown,and fed to the presser foot 23 through an opening 64 formed in the topof the guide 36, see FIG. 1 and see FIG. 4 for a waistline constructionincorporating such color stop strip 63.

The method of manufacturing a preferred embodiment of garment waistline,which is indicated in schematic cross-section in FIGS. 4 and 5 of theannexed drawings, one with color-stop strip 63 and one without suchstrip, and which is designated therein generally by the referencenumeral 66, is substantially continuous and it is only necessary tomaintain the supplies of thread for the sewing machine needles 13, ofthe elastic cords 49, of the lining strip 58 and of the fabric 61 toavoid stoppages. It is to be understood that the waistline construction66, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, is embodied in so-called highrisegarments with the upper portion of a skirt underfolded as at 62 toprovide the inturned hem and further that the method and equipment isentirely suitable for manufacturing separate waistbands of substantiallysimilar construction as the integral waistline 66 of the garment usinginstead, however, pre-cut garment band of both fabric and lining. I haveshown in perspective view in FIG. of the annexed drawings a waistlineconstruction affording expansion and contraction and manufactured withparallel rows of confined or enclosed individual elastic cords 49extending entirely about the waist, each of which protrudes slightly, asindicated at 49' in FIG. 2, from the base plane of the waistline to lendan attractive corded appearance to the garment at such waistline.

It is within the scope and purview of my present invention to provide awaistline construction for garments as indicated in FIG. 12 of thedrawings and designated generally by the reference numeral 66. In thiswaistline construction a portion 71 thereof is made expansible andcontractible by embodying in such portion 71 of the waistline either thewaistline construction 66 as manufactured with the equipment shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 or a waistline construction of the type shown in FIGS. 8and 9 and manufactured with the equipment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 ashereinafter more particularly described. The remainder 72 of thewaistline construction illustrated in FIG. 12 may be of plain fabricpreferably similar to the fabric of which the garment is made.

In accordance with my present improvement, I provide a method andequipment for producing a garment with a modified embodiment of theinvention as exemplified in a simulated corded waistline construction,shown schematically in FIGS. 8 and 9 and in fragmentary perspective viewin FIG. 11 of the annexed drawings; such modified embodiment ofwaistline being generally designated by the reference numeral 166. Asshown in FIGS. 6 and 7, I provide a standard multi-needle sewing machine111 having a working surface 112 at a desired level and operable with aplurality of needles 113 which depend in spaced relationship to oneanother from a head 114. The machine 111 may be equipped with the usualpulling rollers, not shown, for aiding in the passage of work to be sewnunder a specially constructed presser foot 123 which is in all respectssimilar to the presser foot 23 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and which isadjustably mounted by means of an apertured integral boss 124 and asetscrew 126 on a post 127 depending from the frame 128 of the sewingmachine 111; said specially constructed presser foot 123 being formedwith a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves 129, arranged inparallel spaced relation in the bottom of the foot, which define aplurality of toes 131 for engaging the work as it is stitched by theoperation of the sewing machine. Passages, not shown, for the needles113 are provided in the presser-foot 123 for effecting the stitching ofthe work while being held down under the presser foot, the passagesopening to the bottom of the foot in the areas of the toes 131, notshown, and opening to the top as indicated at 132.

The equipment for manufacturing the modified embodiment of the inventionas depicted in FIGS. 8 and 9, includes a guide 136 which is preferablymade of metal and which defines a guide passage 136' through which ispassed under slight tension by means of a tensioner 151, a strip 153 ofelastic webbing, or similar elastic material, during the operation ofthe machine. The tensioner 151 may be adjustably supported from the topsurface 112 of the machine. A length of bias cut garment fabric 161 isdraped over the guide 136 and folded under the same to provide a deephem 162, and the hemmed garment fabric 161 together with the elasticstrip 158, is fed manually to the sewing machine 111 with such fabricand underlying or enclosed elastic strip 158 passing underneath thepresser foot 123. As the sewing machine needles 113 'sew the strip 158and bias cut fabric 161 together to provide lines of stitching 134 atspaced apart locations transversely of the two strips, the lines ofstitching enter the fabric and elastic webbing on opposite sides of thegrooves 129 of the presser foot 123 with the result that successiveportions of the two work pieces; namely, the elastic strip 158 and thebias cut fabric strip 161, enter into the grooves 129 of the presserfoot thereby creating in said work pieces a series of transverse bulgessimulating a series of cords 149, see FIG. 8, in transversely spacedrelationship of the waistline. The lines of stitching 134 are indicatedin dotted lines in FIG. 6 between the simulated cords 149' which areanchored on opposite sides thereof by such stitching 134.

The showing in FIGS. 6 and 7 depict the production of a simulated cordfinish to a waistline of a so-called high rise garment. It is to beunderstood, of course, that predetermined lengths of a bias cut fabric161 and of elastic material 158 can be stitched together in a similarmanner on a multi-needle machine 111 using the specially constructedpresser-foot 123 to provide a separate waistband for attaching inposition at the top of a skirt 180, see FIGS. 10, 11, and 12. Inconstructing such a separate waistband, the fabric strip 161 is foldedunderneath the opposite sides of the guide 136 to provide inner hems 162and 162' on the fabric, with the result that upon stitching the lines ofstitching 134 will pass through the top or outer section of the fabricas well as the elastic strip 161, all as schematically shown in FIG. 9of the accompanying drawings.

Upon constructing waistlines on a so-called high rise skirts, thewaistline may be opened at the center rear thereof along with theadjacent upper portion of the skirt, and then closed with a conventionalopenable zipper 181, see FIGS. 10 and 11. If a separate waistband ismanufactured in accordance with the method hereinabove described, it maybe attached to the upper edge of the skirt and it may be lapped as shownand provided with a button hole and button 182 at the lapped endsthereof in the front of the garment as shown in FIG. 12. As indicatedabove, the skirt 180 can be manufactured with a waistline constructed asdepicted schematically in FIGS. 4 and 5 wherein the individual elasticcords 49 extend entirely about the waistline 66 incased within pocketsbounded by the garment fabric 61 on the exterior of the waistline andthe lining 58 on the inside thereof next to the body of the wearer. Or,the waistline can be constructed on the garment as depicted in FIGS. 8,9 and 11 wherein the stitching 134 anchors bulged portions 149' of thegarment fabric 161 and an elastic strip 158 at a series of locationstransversely of the waistline 166 to provide a simulated cord finish14-9 entirely about the waistline; such simulated cord finish 149' beingeffected by stitching the fabric 161 to the elastic strip 158 while thelatter is held under an adjustable tension by the tensioner 151 toattain a desired waistline measurement for the different sizes ofgarments. Or, the waistline construction can be as that depicted in FIG.12 wherein the waistline, designated generally by the reference numeral66' can comprise a rear section 71 made either with a series ofindividual elastic cords 49 in spaced parallel relation to one another,as in the case of the waistline construction 66 or with a simulated cordfinish 149' as indicated by the waistline construction 166, see FIGS. 8,9, and 11, while the remaining or front section 72 of the waistline 66may be made of plain fabric.

It is to be understood that the appended claims are to be accorded arange of equivalents commensurate in scope with the advances made overthe prior art.

I claim:

1. Equipment for manufacturing expandable and contractible waistlines ongarments; said equipment comprising, in combination, a multi-needlesewing machine, means for causing a plurality of needles in said sewingmachine to be operated in unison to effect a stitching operation of aseries of lines of stitching, a presser foot adjustably mounted on saidsewing machine; said presser foot having a plurality of passagestherethrough for passing said needles and also having a plurality ofgrooves in its bottom surface on opposite sides of said passage a guidesupported in proximity to said presser foot over which a waistlinesection of a garment may be draped for feeding to said plurality ofneedles of said sewing machine and under said presser foot and throughwhich a plurality of individual elastic cords may be fed into saidgrooves in the bottom surface of said presser foot, and a foldersupported with its inner end in proximity to said presser foot andthrough which a continuous strip of lining may be fed in foldedcondition to the needles of said sewing machine in underlying relationto said individual elastic cords whereby the said cords will be confinedbetween the waistline section of the garment and said strip of liningupon the stitching together thereof by said plurality of needles duringoperation of said sewing machine.

2. Equipment as defined in claim 1, and a tensioncr device for eachindividual elastic cord through which each of the elastic cords pass andby which it is tensioned as it is fed through said guide.

3. Equipment as defined in claim 1, and a plurality of individual tubessupported in spaced parallel relationship on said guide for receivingand maintaining the individual elastic cords in parallel spacedrelationship to one another while being fed to said needles of saidmulti-needle sewing machine.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,175,322 10/39Seaman 112-262 2,183,257 12/39 Hardie et al. 2-237 X 2,374,529 4/45Everitt 112-2 2,633,132 3/51 Kligler et al 2-237 X 2,700,946 2/55Stanley et al. 112-2 R 2,761,401 9/56 Dolney 112-25 X 2,843,156 7/58Schwartz 112-2 3,064,269 11/62 Scheitlin 2-237 JORDAN FRANKLIN, PrimaryExaminer.

ROBERT V. SLOAN, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No,3,150,621 September 29'', 1964 William Ka Warnock It is hereby certifiedthat error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction andthat the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the grant, lines 2 and 3, and line 12, and in the heading to theprinted specification, line 5, for "Koration Company, Inc. read KoratronCompany, Inc

Signed and sealed this 9th day of February 1965.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

1. EQUIPMENT FOR MANUFACTURING EXPANDABLE AND CONTRACTIBLE WAISTLINES ONGARMENTS; SAID EQUIPMENT COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A MULTI-NEEDLESEWING MACHINE, MEANS FOR CAUSING A PLURALITY OF NEEDLES IN SAID SEWINGMACHINE TO BE OPERATED IN UNISON TO EFFECT A STITCHING OPERATION OF ASERIES OF LINES OF STITCHING, A PRESSER FOOT ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED ON SAIDSEWING MACHINE; SAID PRESSER FOOT HAVING A PLURALITY OF PASSAGESTHERETHROUGH FOR PASSING SAID NEEDLES AND ALSO HAVING A PLURALITY OFGROOVES IN ITS BOTTOM SURFACE ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID PASSAGES, AGUIDE SUPPORTED IN PROXIMITY TO SAID PRESSER FOOT OVER WHICH A WAISTLINESECTION OF A GARMENT MAY BE DRAPED FOR FEEDING TO SAID PLURALITY OFNEEDLES OF SAID SEWING MACHINE AND UNDER SAID PRESSER FOOT AND THROUGHWHICH A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL ELASTIC CORDS MAY BE FED INTO